Immersion Africa | Global Executive MBA

Africa as a continent with its over 50 nation-states has attracted a lot of attention from international companies across the globe operating in different sectors (e.g., FMCG, infrastructure, mining, construction, pharma etc.). The political and economic conditions in quite a few of the countries have improved to the point that international companies get increasingly involved.

At the same time, a strong entrepreneurial movement has sparked in some of the countries like Kenia. The start-up scene is flourishing, eg., in Silicon Savannah, turning the adverse conditions into great opportunities through frugal innovation. These initiatives empower customers at the base of the pyramid to lead a better life than the generations before them. Africa continues to be of geopolitical importance where claims are set out for the future.

The International Immersion of the Global Executive MBA allowed students to not only to understand Kenya better as a country but also as the leading economy in East Africa with its opportunities and risks, but also to determine market opportunities and to develop suitable market entry strategies. The highlighted entrepreneurial initiatives and the look on how the political situation in the countries affect the business eco-system opened up new perspectives and insights on how business is done in Africa.

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Visiting local startups and social entrepreneurs, students explored the impressive attitude by local business people in Kenya, which is a driving factor in coming up with innovative solutions with the use of limited resources. Make do with very little and use it meaningfully to create something has become a guiding principle in the in sub-Saharan African market and all its  particularities.

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^{Students dove into the unfamiliar market of East Africa and what it means to do business there.}

The focus of the International Immersion was built around the design challenge business case of Twiga, a food retailer for which the students worked on sulutions for increasing coverage of supply its retailers, cross-selling and build closer customer engagement. Visits in Twigas facilities and meetings with the founders and executives gave the students insights into a real-life african business model, with all its challenges and opportunities.

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^{Students explored the Twiga business model...}

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^{...and presented their suggestions and solutions for the business case.}

Students had the opportunity to dive even deeper into Kenya’s entrepreneurial landscape. Visits to companies across sectors such as construction, education, technology, healthcare, and more provided them with diverse perspectives on the African way of doing business. This allowed them to gain a better understanding of the local conditions and the specific challenges faced, as well as valuable insights into how entrepreneurship thrives under very different circumstances.